If your mouth is sore after chemo or radiotherapy, choose soft foods like soups, smoothies, yogurts, puréed vegetables and tinned fruit. Avoid salty or spicy meals. Drinking through a straw can help too.

Keep hydrated

Cancer patients can quickly become dehydrated, either because of treatment or because they haven’t felt like eating. It’s important to sip plenty of fluids, including tea, water and soup. Some treatments can make water taste strange, so mix with squash or juice.

Some cancer treatments can make your mouth dry and uncomfortable, leaving you with a poor appetite. Chew sugar-free gum or suck sugar-free sweets in your favourite flavours to encourage more saliva and make your mouth feel more pleasant.